Let my appetite sicken and so die
by brooklynnthemajesticdragon
Summary: Twelfth Night Fanfiction: Duke Orsinos story. Cassandar Orsino never had to make many hard decisions in his lifetime. There was never something wrong either, he always got what he wanted. Until he's forced to choose between saving himself and saving the person he loves.


What am I going to do? Cassandar Orsino paced outside of his father and mother's door, contemplating how he would tell them. He hoped with all of his heart that his mother and father would be accepting, but deep down he thought that neither of them would be.

"Cassandar!" His mother's voice startled him. "What are you doing here?"

"I…" He said, "I needed to talk with you and father."

"What on earth do you need to talk with me about?""I can't tell you now, but when father gets here, I'll tell you both together."

She nodded slowly, and walked into her room. Cassandar and his mother had never been very close. Cassandar understood why. He was just one of his father's mess ups that had ended worse than it usually did, and it made his mother upset. Sometimes he wished that he could be closer with her.

"Cassandar, whatever are you here for?" His father had finally come home from who knows where.

Probably off having another affair with another woman, Cassandar thought, but regretted thinking it directly after.

"I wanted to talk to you and mother," he said.

"Well come in then."

Cassandar didn't have a good relationship with his father either. His father hated him for what he was. His father was ashamed for what he did, and Cassandar was just a reminder of that.

Pherick had wanted to tell Cassandar's parents with him, but Cassandar insisted otherwise. He knew that if his father didn't approve, for which he suspected he wouldn't, Pherick would be dead in two seconds flat. But now, Cassandar wished that he had let Pherick come with him.

Pherick's status would put him even lower in the standards of Cassandar's parents. Cassandar knew this, and knew that nothing would stop his father from killing him. Even now, he knew that if his father didn't approve, Pherick would be as good as dead. There was so much that would never be accepted with him and Pherick. But Cassandar didn't care.

He entered the room behind his father, seeing his mother sitting in her chair. His father took a seat next to her.

Cassandar stood fidgeting with the cufflink on his sleeve.

"Well?" Cassandar's father said after a long silence, "What is it Cassandar?"

Cassandar remained silent.

"Cassandar, if you're not going to tell us then leave," his mother said.

Cassandar took a deep breath and then began.

"I've fallen in love."

His mothers eyes lit up.

"You have?" She exclaimed excitedly.

Cassandar nodded.

"Oh darling this is fantastic!" She leapt out of her seat and ran to embrace him. "Edmund isn't that wonderful news?"

"Yes dear, it is." Cassandar could see the relief in his eyes. Their family had been slowly losing money for centuries, but now they were down to the very last of it. Even without his parents telling him, Cassandar knew that he was to marry someone rich to save their family, whether it was for love or not. He had turned away many young women that were brought in front of them, all refusals with Pherick's name in his mind.

"I'm so glad you think so!" Cassandar was still nervous, but grateful that they were happy. "I can't wait to introduce him to you!"

Cassandar began walking out of his room, relieved that he and Pherick were going to be okay

"Wait."

"Yes father?"

"Him?"

"Yes! His name is Pherick! He's the most amazing person I've ever met, besides you and mother of course, and-"

"Enough!"

Cassandar stopped talking, hearing rage in his father's voice. There was silence in the room. His father had anger in his eyes, in his voice, in the way he stood. His mother looked scared for her life. Cassandar didn't blame her. He was scared for his life too.

"Father?"

"You're telling me, Cassandar Orsino, that you are in love with a boy?"

Cassandar paused before answering, knowing that if he lied he would be safe and so would Pherick. But if he didn't lie, they would have to hide their true selves from the world.

"Yes."


End file.
